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Schwannoma in neurofibromatosis type 1: a pitfall for detecting malignancy by metabolic imaging

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Abstract

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a neurocutaneous syndrome characterized by the development of multiple peripheral nerve sheath tumors, the majority of which are benign neurofibromas. However, malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) occur with a 10 % lifetime risk in patients with NF1, often developing within a neurofibroma. When clinical suspicion for an MPNST arises, imaging with FDG PET and MRI is performed to characterize a peripheral tumor for potential malignancy. In this report, we describe a patient with NF-1 who had two peripheral tumors with similar features by PET, both suspicious for MPNST, but differing features by MRI, one of which was subsequently determined to be an MPNST and the second to be a schwannoma.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 601 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA

    Shivani Ahlawat

  2. The Johns Hopkins Hospital Comprehensive Neurofibromatosis Center, Department of Neurology, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, CRB II, Suite 1M16, 1550 Orleans Street, Baltimore, MD, 21231, USA

    Jaishri Blakeley

  3. Department of Neurosurgery, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Meyer Bldg, Room 5-181, 600 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21231, USA

    Allan Belzberg

  4. The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Department of Pathology, Weinberg Room 2242, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Sheikh Zayed Tower, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA

    Elizabeth Montgomery

  5. The Johns Hopkins Hospital, The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Sheikh Zayed Tower, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA

    Rathan M. Subramaniam

  6. The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, 601 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA

    Laura M. Fayad

Authors
  1. Shivani Ahlawat
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  2. Jaishri Blakeley
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  4. Rathan M. Subramaniam
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  6. Laura M. Fayad
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Correspondence to Shivani Ahlawat.

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Ahlawat, S., Blakeley, J., Montgomery, E. et al. Schwannoma in neurofibromatosis type 1: a pitfall for detecting malignancy by metabolic imaging. Skeletal Radiol 42, 1317–1322 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-013-1626-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-013-1626-3

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